Today I have an entertaining chapter book that kids will have no problem picking up and reading. It has a charismatic main character and antics galore to keep readers amused. Of course if your kids like Escape from Mr. Lemencello’s Library they will be anxious to read this new offering from the same author. This book is a lighthearted escape into a fun and madcap adventure.

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Title: Welcome to Wonderland: Home Sweet Motel

Author: Chris Grabenstein

Target: Grades 3-7

Series: This is the first book in a planned series

What this book is about:

P. T. Wilkie, his mom and grandpa live in and run the Wonderland hotel in Florida. Wonderland used to be the hotel known for fun filled attractions, until that other hotel opened up in Orlando (hint: Disneyworld) Now they are just an aging property with a balloon payment due in a week that could wipe them out of business forever. However, P.T. and his friend Gloria are not going down without a fight. Some ingenuity and business thinking just might get them out of this mess, if two big time crooks don’t mess up all their plans.

Why I love this book:

This book is just a whole lot of fun. I loved the business ideas that P.T. and Gloria think up to help get customers spending lots of money. P.T. has just the right amount of confidence and bravado to be a compelling character for kids and the kitschy motel is the perfect backdrop.

There is a mystery involving crooks and a whole lot of diamonds that is an entertaining plot twist. Kids will get just enough clues to keep things interesting. This author wrote the series Mr. Lemencello’s Library, so he knows how to put together a good who dun it.

I liked the illustrations throughout the book. They are fun and lively and certainly match the tone of the story.

Who this book is for:

Great for reluctant readers because the chapters are short and the action is fast paced. However even strong readers will enjoy this fun story. This book is reminiscent in style of the Treasure Hunters series which makes sense since Chris Grabenstein is also the coauthor of those books.

Final thoughts:

I was surprised how quickly I got sucked into this narrative. A fun, upbeat and easy read for kids.